File:Early Medieval buckle pin (FindID 547221).jpg

English: A cast copper alloy belt stiffener dating to the Early Anglo-Saxon period. The object has been cast in one piece. The top of the object flares out, forming a semi-circular terminal before narrowing into a neck which is decorated with three transverse collars. From here the object again flares outwards, forming a sub-triangular plate before narrowing again into a rearward-facing hook. The hook is oval in cross-section and terminates in a break which occured during antiquity.

The semi-circular terminal is decorated with a triquetra knot in relief. The depressions within and surrounding the knot may have been inlaid with enamel which is now missing. Below the transverse collars, the object is decorated with six deep vertical grooves which are separated with a central transverse ridge. Below the grooves is a deep circular groove surrounded by a raised circular ridge. Within the grooves are traces of a dark blue or black enamel.

On the reverse of the object are three projecting lugs with transverse perforations, two of which are incomplete. The complete lug is D-shaped, with a circular perforation with an internal diameter of 1.95mm. The object has a dark green patina.

Although an exact parallel has not been found for this object Sonja Marzinzik (British Museum) has commented that it stands in the tradition of late Roman belt stiffeners. These were mounted transversely on the belt strap and were not only decorative, but also kept the leather from buckling. There is a large variety of these in copper alloy (Trenteseau 1966, Sommer 1984). Belt stiffeners also occur on the continent in Frankish and Alamannic contexts, and follow a variety of set forms, with a small number known from Anglo-Saxon England (Marzinzik 2003). The ornament on this piece, dates it to the 6^th century, maybe the earlier half.

Sommer M. 1984: Die Gürtel und Gürtelbeschläge des 4. und 5. Jahrhunderts im römischen Reich. Bonner Hefte zur Vorgeschichte 22 (Bonn).

Trenteseau B. 1966: La Damasquinure mérovingienne en Belgique. Dissertationes Archaeologicae Gandenses 9 (Brugge).

It has also been suggested that this object may be a fixed-tongue buckle similar to the rectangular buckle from Sutton Hoo (Bruce-Mitford, 469-73, 1978, Fig. 337-8). There are some very narrow buckle plates from Amiens (MacGregor 1997, nos. 77.17 and 77.18) although their form is not particularly like this piece.